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Serum vitamins A and E and carotene in patients with gynecologic cancer

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Summary

Serum concentrations of vitamin A (retinol), vitamin E (alphatocopherol) and total carotene were measured in 88 women with gynecologic cancer (9 vulvar, 15 cervical, 36 endometrial and 28 ovarian carcinomas) and 31 healthy controls. No significant differences were found in the serum levels of the vitamins and carotene in patients with vulvar, cervical or endometrial cancer compared to the controls. The patients with ovarian cancer had a significantly (P<0.01) lower mean serum level of vitamin A than the controls, while carotene and vitamin E level were similar in both groups. The results indicate that vitamin A may have a role in the metabolism of patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

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Heinonen, P.K., Kuoppala, T., Koskinen, T. et al. Serum vitamins A and E and carotene in patients with gynecologic cancer. Arch Gynecol Obstet 241, 151–156 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931311

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931311

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